At the mayors' convention, Esquire rubs elbows with the hardest-working men in politics, and discovers we're not so screwed after all.

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Why she ran: There are times when you need to quietly change the world.Greatest triumph: I have this thing called the mayor's walk. Three times a week, seven in the morning, you can walk with me. You can have thirty minutes.

Biggest challenge: Growth. We're adding five thousand new people a month.E-mail address:phil.gordon@phoenix.gov. Put it in Esquire if you want. If the response is lowercase with poor grammar, you'll know it's me.

Henry Leutwyler

Greg Nickels, 52
Second term
Seattle
Pop. 582,454

Biggest surprise: The number of foreign visitors that I get. Seattle's an international city. So I get ambassadors, parliamentarians, presidents.Best perk: To shop in the market with people whose lives I've affected. I like that.

Henry Leutwyler

Joseph Macon
First term
East Point, Ga.
Pop. 37,220

Biggest surprise: How hard it is. You can't pick your favorite issue, and you have to deal with people face-to-face.Best thing to do in town: The Starlite Cantina. It's a great place, so I'll give it a plug. Get the number-two combo.

Henry Leutwyler

David Cicilline, 45
Second term
Providence
Pop. 175,255

Greatest challenge: A federal government that has disinvested in American cities.Greatest triumph: Opened nine police substations. Restored walking beats. We have the lowest crime rate in Providence in thirty-one years.

Henry Leutwyler

Luke Ravenstahl
First term
Pittsburgh
Pop. 312,819

Best perk: I don't have the political relationships yet, so I think that's an advantage. But because things move so quickly, I haven't had the chance to sit down and digest it. To this day, quite honestly, it hasn't hit me -- the opportunity I have.

PRODUCED BY JOANNE DAVIDSON FOR PRODUCIT, INC. STYLING BY EVET SANCHEZ FOR THE WALL GROUP.